By

ROBERT H. PIERSON

This will be the last time that in my present role I shall stand before the
world leaders of my church, your church, our church, and I have a few
words to leave with you.

I take my thoughts from something that Elder and Mrs. Ralph Neall have
written describing how typically a sect evolves into a church. They say a
sect is often begun by a charismatic leader with tremendous drive and
commitment and that it arises as a protest against worldliness and
formalism in a church. It is generally embraced by the poor. The rich
would lose too much by joining it, since it is unpopular, despised, and
persecuted by society in general. It has definite beliefs firmly held by
zealous members. Each member makes a personal decision to join it and
knows what he believes. There is little organization or property, and
there are few buildings.

The group has strict standards and controls on behavior. Preachers,
often without education, arise by inner compulsion. There is little
concern about public relations.

And then it passes on to the second generation. With growth there
comes a need for organization and buildings. As a result of industry and
frugality, members become prosperous. As prosperity increases,
persecution begins to wane. Children born into the movement do not
have to make personal decisions to join it. They do not necessarily know
what they believe. They do not need to hammer out their own positions.
These have been worked out for them. Preachers arise more by
selection and by apprenticeship to older workers than by direct inner
compulsion.

In the third generation, organization develops and institutions are
established. The need is seen for schools to pass on the faith of the
fathers. Colleges are established.

Members have to be exhorted to live up to the standards, while at the
same time the standards of membership are being lowered. The group
becomes lax about disfellowshiping nonpracticing members. Missionary
zeal cools off. There is more concern over public relations. Leaders

study methods of propagating their faith, sometimes employing

extrinsic rewards as motivation for service by the members. Youth
question why they are different from others, and intermarry with those
not of their faith.

In the fourth generation there is much machinery; the number of
administrators increases while the number of workers at the grass-
roots level becomes proportionately less. Great church councils are held
to define doctrine. More schools, universities, and seminaries are
established. These go to the world for accreditation and tend to become
secularized. There is a reexamination of positions and modernizing of
methods. Attention is given to contemporary culture, with an interest in
the arts: music, architecture, literature. The movement seeks to become
'relevant" to contemporary society by becoming involved with popular
causes. Services become formal. The group enjoys complete acceptance
by the world. The sect has become a church!

Brethren and sisters, this must never happen to the Seventh-day
Adventist Church! This will not happen to the Seventh-day Adventist
Church. This is not just an other church-it is God's church!

But you are the men and women sitting in this sanctuary this morning
on whom God is counting to assure that it does not happen.

Already, brethren and sisters, there are subtle forces that are beginning
to stir. Regrettably there are those in the church who belittle the
inspiration of the total Bible, who scorn the first 11 chapters of Genesis,
who question the Spirit of Prophecy's short chronology of the age of the
earth, and who subtly and not so subtly attack the Spirit of Prophecy.
There are some who point to the reformers and contemporary
theologians as a source and the norm for Seventh-day Adventist
doctrine. There are those who allegedly are tired of the hackneyed
phrases of Adventism. There are those who wish to forget the standards
of the church we love. There are those who covet and would court the
favor of the evangelicals; those who would throw off the mantle of a
peculiar people; and those who would go the way of the secular,
materialistic world.

Fellow leaders, beloved brethren and sisters-don't let it happen! I

appeal to you as earnestly as I know how this morning-don't let it
happen! I appeal to Andrews University, to the Seminary, to Loma Linda
University - don't let it happen! We are not Seventh-day Anglicans, not
Seventh-day Lutherans-we are Seventh-day Adventists! This is God's
last church with God's last message!

You are the men and women, the leaders, whom God is counting on to
keep the Seventh-day Adventist Church God's remnant church, the
church God has destined to triumph!

The servant of the Lord says, "Fearful perils are before those who bear
responsibilities in the Lord's work-perils the thought of which makes
me tremble."-Selected Messages, book 2, p. 391. And in Ezekiel 22:30 we
read, '1 looked for a man among them who could build up a barricade,
who could stand before me in the breach to defend the land from ruin"
(N.E.B.).

I believe this morning, fellow leaders, that God is looking for men and
women, intrepid leaders, men and women who love God's church and
God's truth more than they love their lives, to see that this church under
God goes through to the kingdom. The task ahead of us is not going to be
easy. If I understand the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy aright this
morning, ahead lies a time of trouble, a time of challenge such as this
church and this world have never before known.

The servant of the Lord tells us, 'The enemy of souls has sought to bring
in the supposition that a great reformation was to take place among
Seventh-day Adventists, and that this reformation would consist in
giving up the doctrines which stand as the pillars of our faith, and
engaging in a process of reorganization. Were this reformation to take
place, what would result? The principles of truth that God in His wisdom
has given to the remnant church, would be discarded. Our religion
would be changed. The fundamental principles that have sustained the
work for the last fifty years would be ac counted as error. A new
organization would be established. Books of a new order would be
written. A system of intellectual philosophy would be introduced. The
founders of this system would go into the cities, and do a wonderful
work. The Sabbath, of course, would be lightly regarded, as also the God

who created it. Nothing would be allowed to stand in the way of the new
movement. The leaders would teach that virtue is better than vice, but
God being removed, they would place their dependence on human
power, which, without God, is worthless."-Ibid., book 1, pp. 204, 205.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church had its alpha years ago. You and I are
the leaders who will face the omega that will be of the same subtle,
devilish origin. Its effect will be more devastating than the alpha.
Brethren, I beg of you, study, know what is ahead, then with God's help
prepare your people to meet it!

"God calls for men who are prepared to meet emergencies, men who in
a crisis will not be found standing on the wrong side."-Ellen G. White, in
Review and Herald, Nov. 5, 1903.

"We are pressing on to the final conflict, and this is no time to
compromise. It is no time to hide your colors. When the battle wages
sore, Let no one turn traitor. It is no time to lay down or conceal our
weapons, and give Satan the advantage in the warfare. "-Ibid., Dec. 6,
1892.

And then I call attention to a vision the Lord's servant had, in which she
saw a ship heading toward an iceberg. She said, "There, towering high
above the ship, was a gigantic iceberg. An authoritative voice cried out,
'Meet it!' There was not a moment's hesitation. It was a time for instant
action. The engineer put on full steam, and the man at the wheel steered
the ship straight into the iceberg. With a crash she struck the ice. There
was a fearful shock, and the iceberg broke into many pieces, falling with
a noise like thunder to the deck. The passengers were violently shaken
by the force of the collision, but no lives were lost. The vessel was
injured, but not beyond repair. She rebounded from the contact,
trembling from stem to stern, like a living creature. Then she moved
forward on her way.

"Well I knew the meaning of this representation. I had my orders. I had
heard the words, like a voice from our Captain, 'Meet it!' I knew what
my duty was, and that there was not a moment to lose. The time for
decided action had come. I must without delay obey the command,
'Meet it!' "-Selected Messages, book 1, pp. 205, 206.


Fellow leaders, it may be that in the not too distant future you will have
to meet it. I pray God will give you grace and courage and wisdom.

Finally, "what a wonderful thought it is that the great controversy is
nearing its end! In the closing work we shall meet with perils that we
know not how to deal with; but let us not forget that the three great
powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the wheel, and
that God will bring His purposes to pass. He will gather from the world a
people who will serve Him in righteousness."-Ibid., book 2, p. 391.

What a wonderful assurance we have this morning, brethren and
sisters, that you and I are in God's work. This work is not dependent on
any man; it is dependent on our relationship with Him. There is only one
way for us to face the future, and that is at the foot of the cross. A church
with its eyes upon the Man of Calvary will never walk into apostasy.

Thank you, brethren and sisters, for giving me the privilege of serving
you for the past 45 years, and may God bless every one of you.

Robert H. Pierson

Review and Herald, October 26, 1978